The New Hampshire Union Leader
Editorial
March 30, 2006

Primary defenses: NH has to toot its own horn

“AS A DEFENSE of New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation Presidential primary, Tuesday night’s New Hampshire Primary Awards Dinner was top-notch. If only more people could have seen it.

There was George Stephanopoulos, via video, explaining the value of New Hampshire’s famous and unique brand of retail politics. This was no cynical appeal to the crowd. His heart clearly was in every word. Gov. John Lynch should see that copies of that video, or at least transcripts, get into the hands of Democrats nationwide.

Lynch himself complemented Stephanopoulos with a terrific explanation of the importance of our primary not to us, but to the country.

“We are living in an age where what passes for genuine ‘town hall meetings’ are scripted questions from pre-screened guests,” Lynch said. “Many of us here have been involved in campaigns. It’s easy to be risk averse, especially when you’re ahead, and there is nothing riskier than unscripted questions from real people. But facing those questions during the New Hampshire primary makes candidates stronger when they go into the general election — and makes better Presidents.”

Ambassador Gerald Carmen, receiving his award for his numerous contributions to the primary, made the point that New Hampshire has not done enough to explain to the rest of the country how our primary earned its coveted spot and why it is so important to our republic that it keep it. He was dead right.

As the national Democratic Party seeks to destroy the last great forum for direct interaction between presidential candidates and voters, state officials and political activists must mount a more aggressive public information campaign. The facts are on our side. They can’t help us if we don’t get them out there.”

(Retrieved March 30, 2006 at http://www.unionleader.com)